<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>even brighter than the moon by scatteringmyashes</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25808158">even brighter than the moon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatteringmyashes/pseuds/scatteringmyashes'>scatteringmyashes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>feels like summer [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, Celebrations, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 12:00:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25808158</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatteringmyashes/pseuds/scatteringmyashes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dimitri and Dedue have been at camp for years and they always see the fireworks together. This time is no exception.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>feels like summer [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1646359</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>even brighter than the moon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>*Walks into the room ten minutes later with Starbucks* </p><p>I haven't died! This AU is still near and dear to my heart and I've been slowly plotting out the big story. Until then, enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Come on, Leonie, you gotta give me </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Sylvain begged as Dimitri rounded the path. He raised an eyebrow, somehow unsurprised to see Sylvain holding his hands together in a pleading motion while Leonie looked entirely unimpressed. "A hint. A mere morsel. Something a guy can work with." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I told you already, Sylvain, no." Leonie looked over at Dimitri. "If you're also looking for information on the fireworks, the answer is no</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Some of us like to keep the element of surprise." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri held his hands up. "That is fine with me." He squinted at Sylvain. "What are you bothering Leonie for? Is Felix even going to the fireworks?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes! And I need to know the best place to watch the fireworks with Fe." Sylvain blushed, as if this was the most scandalous thing he'd ever said. Dimitri had been privy to far more explicit conversations, much to his own distaste, but the concept of Sylvain actually taking his relationship with Felix seriously? That was a surprise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A good one, if Dimitri had to admit it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You two are good for one another," Dimitri said. He managed a smile. "I'm just on my way to fetch something from my cabin, but I will leave you two to it." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without further ahead, he continued on his way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cabins were a bustle of activity, most campers done with their daily schedules and enjoying free time before dinner. Towards the end of the summer, things were much looser in anticipation for the big firework celebration. Naturally, who one went with was a big deal. Dimitri could see several of Sylvain's siblings gossipping about their prospects and even sleepy Linhardt was listening to Caspar plan out what their evening would look like. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri waved to Ashe as he passed by and decided not to investigate as Claude strolled by with his hands in his pockets and a bright orange Camp Half-Blood backpack over one shoulder. Some things were better left unknown. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Dimitri, I think Dedue is with Seteth in the strawberry fields," one of Dedue's siblings called out as Dimitri passed Cabin Four. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, thank you, but I'm actually getting something from my cabin," Dimitri replied, gesturing towards the frankly ridiculous chrome hunk that sat at the head of the cabins. "Have a good day!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally managed to make it inside, the scent of ozone taking tension out of his shoulders. He had a moment to breathe but no more than that, because he immediately heard the sound of someone whimpering. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frowning, he stepped further inside and saw the tell-tale white hair of Edelgard streaming over her pillow as she clutched at her blankets in her sleep. She cried out again, louder, and Dimitri didn't hesitate to cross the cabin floor and place a hand on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Edelgard—" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She woke up and grabbed at him, her hand wrapping around his wrist. There was a strange sensation like when one first stepped into a warm shower, but it instantly fell away — Dimitri recognized it, of course. It was impossible to electrocute a son of Zeus, even if the offender was also a child of the sky god. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dimitri." Edelgard let out a long breath. "How long have you been there?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just got back. I was grabbing my lance. Felix wanted to train before dinner tonight." Dimitri watched as Edelgard sat up. She was in her normal camp shirt and a pair of pink sweatpants that had been a gag gift from Dorothea — they said </span>
  <em>
    <span>Struck By Lightning</span>
  </em>
  <span> on the sides in blocky white letters, the kind that even Dimitri's dyslexic brain could interpret. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If it weren't for the fact that a statue of Zeus loomed in the corner and their various equipment was shoved in a corner, they could have been normal half-siblings in a normal summer camp. If normal kids got nightmares, which…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you wish to talk about it?" Dimitri asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No." Edelgard sighed. "Thank you. I appreciate the offer." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay." Dimitri fidgeted with the blanket. "Do you have plans for the fireworks tomorrow?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hubert, Ferdinand, and I are watching together." Edelgard looked down at her hands. "Thank you for waking me." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri nodded. "Of course." He stood, though he couldn't calm the disquiet in his stomach. "Is there anything I can do for you?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They're just dreams. They happen." Edelgard pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "You are seeing the fireworks with Dedue, I assume?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes." Dimitri smiled. "He is bringing us finger foods and I am bringing a blanket." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>own</span>
  </em>
  <span> a blanket?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri looked at his bed, which had a thick quilt folded at the foot. "I was going to use that." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edelgard sighed. "I have one you can use. Honestly, Dimitri. That quilt is too nice to get sand all in it." Her tone had shifted to the one she used to chide younger campers who were messing around on the rock climbing wall. Her eyes softened though and Dimitri felt the lump in his stomach dissolve just a hair. "I hope you have a good time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You too." Dimitri gestured towards his side of the room. "I'm going to — lance—"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tell Felix I said hello." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri breathed out. "I will. I'll see you at dinner?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edelgard nodded. He tried not to think about the way sweat still beaded on her forehead. If Edelgard wanted to talk about it, she would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had bigger things to think about, after all. Tomorrow was fireworks night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>#</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was hard to look nice when one's usual attire consisted of traffic cone orange T-shirts and ratty jeans with holes in them, but Dimitri put on his only pair that didn't have tears and he tried to put his hair in a manageable state — he was never letting Sylvain cut his hair again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>son of Aphrodite indeed </span>
  </em>
  <span>— because Dedue deserved it. It wasn't quite as big a deal for them, the end of the camp season. They were both full time, after all. But it was a tradition, something to mark the passage of one year into the next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Edelgard took one look at Dimitri, gave him a fond sigh, and offered him a hair clip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you think I need it?" Dimitri asked, even as he took it and pinned some hair back. "Dedue never says anything about my bangs…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dedue has a mullet," Edelgard replied. "Have a good time, Dimitri." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You too." He adjusted his grip on the blanket so he could give her a wave. With his sibling duties complete, he exited the cabin and went to meet Dedue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was waiting by the dining pavilion, a basket by his feet and his hair — </span>
  <em>
    <span>it's not a mullet,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dimitri thought — pulled back using a green hair tie. He was taking advantage of the relaxed dress code by wearing a tie-dye crop top that showed off his brown binder and cutoff jean shorts. Dimitri felt his heart swell so fast that he could hardly contain it. Only the fact that this was what he always felt like upon seeing Dedue reassured him that he wouldn't actually explode from the intensity of his affection. He waved to get Dedue's attention, grinning too hard to speak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He promptly tripped over a rock, almost sprawling on his face. Dedue moved like lightning, catching him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you okay?" Dedue asked, mirth swimming in his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah!" Dimitri cleared his throat. His voice couldn't break since he had sort of skipped puberty, but he still felt like an inelegant teenager at the worst times. "I'm, I'm ready if you are. I brought a blanket." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dedue leaned down, face hovering a few inches from Dimitri's. "May I kiss you?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course," Dimitri breathed. Dedue's lips were soft and Dimitri did his best not to swoon. Dimitri reached around the blanket in his hands to hold onto Dedue's arms and he rose up on the tips of his toes so Dedue didn't have to lean down as much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone wolf-whistled, then promptly swore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri pulled away, looking over at Sylvain. He was rubbing his side and standing next to Felix, who looked utterly unimpressed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's kids around," Felix chided them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's not what you were concerned about in the arts and crafts cabin," Dedue deadpanned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Felix blushed and tugged on Sylvain's sleeve, dragging him off towards the beach. Dimitri snorted, going to push his bangs back and stopping when he remembered the hair clip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We should get going," he said. "We don't want the best places to be taken." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dedue nodded and went to retrieve his basket. When Dimitri set off towards the beach, Dedue stopped him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're going this way," he said, gesturing towards where the forest was. "Leonie owes me a favor," he explained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri couldn't help but laugh and, linking his fingers with Dedue's, followed breathlessly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They ended up right before the forest started, on a part of the island that started to curve around. Dimitri set the blanket on the grass and Dedue pulled out finger foods — crackers, goat cheese, some grapes — as well as sparkling ciders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fancy," Dimitri teased, popping one grape in his mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think Byleth caught me haggling with the harpies, but they haven't said a thing to me…" Dedue shrugged. He pulled out two cupcakes, one with blue frosting and one with red. "For dessert."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri leaned against Dedue, looking out over the rolling blue of the lake. The specks of other campers lined the beach. They were not so tiny that he couldn't tell Seteth's hair from Byleth's, but they were far enough that, unless they really tried, he doubted any of them would spot him and Dedue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Further out in the water was a small boat that the Hephaestus kids anchored down. He had never been on it, but he knew it would be full of explosives and all kinds of mechanical tricks he wouldn't have a hope of understanding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did Leonie tell you what this year's theme is?" Dimitri asked as he idly picked at the food. One hand was resting on top of Dedue's and he was loathe to let go, so it was a slow process. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She kept that secret, but she told me that if we sat here we'd see more of the details than if we were on the beach. Is the food okay?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's delicious." Dimitri gently nudged him. "Don't let me eat all of it." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dedue plucked a grape out of Dimitri's grasp and threw it in his mouth. Dimitri laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fair enough," he said. He let out a content sigh. "It's weird. This is the third year but it feels like I've been here forever." If he squinted, he could see the hill that marked the boundary in the distance. Glenn's tree was out of view. He didn't know if that was good or not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you miss it?" Dedue looked at him, expression blank. "The outside." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri shrugged. His last memories of outside weren't exactly roses. Still… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe when I'm older. I'd like to see how long I could last." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You think that you'd come back?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I'd have to eventually." Dimitri gestured vaguely with his free hand. "You know how it goes. The stronger you are, the more monsters you face." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dedue was silent for long enough that Dimitri started to worry if he had said something wrong. Before he could check, Dedue said, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think you could do it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri blinked. "What?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Survive out there., You are strong and kind and brave. The best of demigods. If anyone could, you could." Dedue's voice was steady with conviction and all arguments seemed to fly out of Dimitri's head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh. Thank you." He paused. "I wouldn't leave without you," he promised, remembering their conversation just a week ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would not let you," Dedue replied. Dimitri didn't know what else to say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, he didn't have to come up with anything — a flash of light soared up through the sky and burst into white streaks that shifted into other colors. Red, purple, green, blue — each fell from the epicenter of light in a prismatic spray of color. The next round went up almost immediately after, each rocking the water up with every explosion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a golden thunderbolt, a peacock feather with green and purple eyes, an ocean wave that actually rolled across the sky — Dimitri couldn't tear his eyes away as each of the twelve gods were thrown up in a rain of fire and magic.  Then there were signs for the other gods too. A magical rune for Hecate, a heart with an arrow through it for Eros and Cupid, a pillow for Hypnos, and even a shoe with a checkmark on the heel for Nike. Dimitri didn't have to be on the beach to hear Caspar cheering for his mother. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the opening was done, the real show could begin. There were standard fireworks, still beautiful as they exploded in shimmering colors. But there were magical ones too and those made the experience all the more special. Dimitri had vague memories of seeing fireworks with his mother, back when he was a normal boy and she was a normal mother. They had captivated him then, his young brain unable to conceive of the fact that humans had been using fireworks for hundreds, thousands of years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt that same wonder each year, sitting on a blanket with his hand in Dedue's as the Hephaestus cabin blew everyone's minds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first part was of Theseus facing off against the Minotaur, the golden thread in one hand and a gleaming sword in another. The two actually grappled for a moment before Theseus cut the Minotaur's head off with a shower of red sparks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sparks fell down and plants began to grow from where their tails fell, then blossomed into skeleton's with angry red lines. A man who could only be Jason shot up into the sky and, each blast like a constellation of stars, slew the skeletons with great prejudice. Dimitri laughed at the ridiculous nature of Jason managing to do a backflip before pulling a Van Damme and kicking two skeletons in the skull at once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Jason came more heroes — Odysseus fighting a cyclops, Perseus slaying Medusa, Atlanta hunting the Calydonian boar. There was Ajax fighting the Trojans and then Achilles, unmistakable in his chariot, leading Greeks into battle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A flurry of explosions went off, the water shaking violently as the sky erupted into green and yellow and red. Dimitri realized that he was seeing a hydra, each head more vicious than the last. The beast seemed to sway and, despite knowing it was just an image, his fingers itched for his lance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dedue tightened his grip on Dimitri's hand and murmured for him to breathe. Dimitri let a rush of air out of his lungs. He hadn't even realized that he was holding it in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hydra reared back, tail lashing out, and Dimitri and Dedue could see how layers of fireworks were positioned to actually give it depth — they could only see from their angle, each layer a good ten or fifteen feet apart. It was mesmerizing and it was all the more glorious when a single rocket shot through the hydra's heart and, in a burst of golden light, Hercules emerged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His club swung through the hydra, the creature falling aside and crumbling away. Dimitri wondered if it was a trick of the light, but Hercules seemed to flex before posing, the stance identical to the constellation that the demigods memorized in Seteth's night classes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The climax over, the last few fireworks shot up and showered the sky with blue and white. Dimitri could smell the smoke wafting out from the water and knew it would hang over the camp for a few days. Clapping broke out from the beach, along with cheering and whistles of approval. Dimitri and Dedue broke their hand-holding to clap, though Dimitri also made a note to tell Leonie and her siblings how excellent the show was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Heroes and monsters," Dedue murmured. Dimitri glanced at him. "Oh, I was just thinking that it's an interesting theme. I'm surprised they only included the ancient heroes. Modern demigods have accomplished plenty." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sometimes nostalgia wins," Dimitri replied. "Is it odd, thinking that you're related to them?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not related to them," Dedue pointed out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean—"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm being pedantic. Sorry, love." Dedue kissed Dimitri's forehead, as if an apology was even necessary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's okay. I guess it's different." Dimitri thought about Hercules. He was doing a lot of that, recently. He blamed Claude — how he managed to get Byleth to let the counselors have a movie night and made everyone watch that silly movie was still beyond him. "I feel a greater connection to the ancient than the present, I guess." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them fell quiet. The crickets were starting to chirp again. In the depths of the forest, monsters lurked. Dimitri had fought them plenty of times before. He would always be ready to fight them. He didn't have a choice. His life would be most peaceful if he never left camp. If he died after sixty, seventy years in the Big House and had his shroud burnt by a never-changing Byleth and an older Dedue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If I get a quest, you'd come with me?" Dimitri didn't have to ask, but the words came out anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course," Dedue responded. "I care not for fighting or glory, but I care about you." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're very kind." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"For you." Dedue gestured towards the beach, where campers were starting to wonder back to their cabins. It was dark out now, but pinpricks of light are enough to make out shapes. They'd have to be careful heading back. "We should go before they come looking for us." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimitri yawned. "You're right." He stood and, after a final, lingering kiss, started to help pack things away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was just shaking the blanket out when he heard—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Son of Zeus!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blinking, Dimitri looked around. The forest was empty. There weren't even any birds or any other creatures. Dedue paused in his actions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you okay?" He asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm fine," Dimitri told him, shaking the crawling sensation that travelled up his spine. "Let's go." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dedue gave him a wide smile. “I love you, Dimitri. Thank you for seeing the fireworks with me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” Dimitri said. He resolutely did not glance over his shoulder as they left the forest. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/ashes8012">Twitter!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>